Myawaddy To Hpa-An Road Will Open For All Travelers Within About 3 Months

[Tomtomtom69]

Good news for overland travelers (Thais and foreigners):

The latest information I have received from a guesthouse owner and Hpa-an immigration, combined with information from Myawaddy is that around May (or June) as the exact timing is not yet certain, travelers from all countries will be permitted to travel between Myawaddy and Hpa-an on their own, after entering overland at Myawaddy from Mae Sot, Tak province. Initially travel will only be allowed during the day, but there won't be any more checkpoints to stop you from travelling through the restricted Karen areas. It is unclear whether one will still have to travel across to Thailand the same day or whether one will be allowed to stay overnight in Myawaddy; at this point it seems likely that overnight stays may be permitted in Myawaddy since a journey by car from Myawaddy to Hpa-an already takes about 5 hours, expecting to be back in Mae Sot by 6pm Myanmar time seems a bit of a stretch - you'd have to be in Myawaddy at 6am and hopefully be back by evening time for that to work.

Soon after that, also within months, 10 days visas (possibly even 14 day visas or 28 day visas obtained in advance may be accepted too) will be made available upon arrival and will allow full, official and unrestricted access to major Myanmar cities such as Yangon, Mandalay etc. overland from Thailand, via Mae Sot for the first time in modern history. Although other frontier areas may continue to remain closed or with restricted border access for the time being, the fact that at least one major overland route from Thailand will be opened so soon is exciting news for travelers.

As I travel to Kayin State in Myanmar for business often, I will update this thread as soon as more information becomes available.

For those travellers interested, it is currently possible to travel as far as 12 miles (20 km) short of Kawkareik coming from the west (i.e. Yangon or Hpa-an) during the day and about the same distance short of Kawkareik coming from Myawaddy on a day trip. Very shortly these restrictions will become a thing of the past.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Thanks for this information - please keep us posted!

Cheers

SVB

[Tomtomtom69]

Will do - things are changing so quickly in Myanmar and I think it's both very useful and important that travelers are informed of such changes, particularly the positive ones like this one. My understanding is that much of the "rush" with implementing these changes is related not only to a desire to make up for lost time and open the country up as quickly as possible, but also to facilitate overland tourism that is expected in time for the December 2013 SEA games. A lot of preparations are currently being made to make it as easy as possible to travel to Myanmar by that time.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Will do - things are changing so quickly in Myanmar and I think it's both very useful and important that travelers are informed of such changes, particularly the positive ones like this one. My understanding is that much of the "rush" with implementing these changes is related not only to a desire to make up for lost time and open the country up as quickly as possible, but also to facilitate overland tourism that is expected in time for the December 2013 SEA games. A lot of preparations are currently being made to make it as easy as possible to travel to Myanmar by that time.

Agreed - spot on about the overland tourism stuff. I am going to post some other news along the same subject shortly - stay tuned..

[craigt3365]

Great info! As soon as this is open, I'll try and give it a go.

Thanks for the updates!!

Craig

[Tomtomtom69]

Oh and one more piece of good news - a new expressway from Myawaddy to Nyi pyi daw is currently under construction. Once complete, it will allow travellers to travel overland from Thailand via Mae Sot to Nyi pyi daw and Mandalay, thus bypassing Yangon. This road should be complete by 2015. I will post a map with the planned route in the next few days.

[WilliamCave]

Oh and one more piece of good news - a new expressway from Myawaddy to Nyi pyi daw is currently under construction. Once complete, it will allow travellers to travel overland from Thailand via Mae Sot to Nyi pyi daw and Mandalay, thus bypassing Yangon. This road should be complete by 2015. I will post a map with the planned route in the next few days.

Excellent info I will be looking forward to your updates

[tombkk]

Oh and one more piece of good news - a new expressway from Myawaddy to Nyi pyi daw is currently under construction. Once complete, it will allow travellers to travel overland from Thailand via Mae Sot to Nyi pyi daw and Mandalay, thus bypassing Yangon. This road should be complete by 2015. I will post a map with the planned route in the next few days.

I'm looking forward to this map, and the planned timing.

Right now, is it still true that a section of the Myawaddy-Yangon route is one-way - one way on odd days, the the other way on even days?

[Slip]

Can't wait- as soon as land travel to Myanmar/ Burma is on the cards. I'm there!

[Tomtomtom69]

Latest update:

Today I went to the checkpoint at Jain (or Zhain) not sure how to spell it exactly as it is not on the map, which is a river crossing located 20km west of Kawkareik and also the furthest east foreigners can currently travel without special permission.

While I tried to negotiate if I could make it past the checkpoint today as I was told I could go to Kawkareik (turns out that the checkpoint was indeed the furthest I was allowed as I didn't bring any paperwork with me), the police there and my friend in Mae Sot with connections to the Burmese army, police and immigration both told me the same story:

The Myawaddy to Hpa-an road will officially open to foreign travellers starting in MARCH. This is 2 months earlier than previously mentioned - it was mentioned that the first day of the opening will be anytime between March 1 and mid-March. This means the road could be opening as early as next week!!

The other thing that was mentioned was that 7-day visas on arrival will be made available immediately, not just day visas that allow travel to Hpa-an in one day and back, followed by longer visas in a few months as I previously mentioned.

As I will need to travel to Thamanya (about 30-40 km east of Hpa-an) for my agricultural related business around mid-March, I am hoping to be able to cross from Mae Sot to Myawaddy and onto Hpa-an as soon as the road is open and the checkpoints are dismantled (they will perhaps remain only to collect bridge tolls) and this will be around mid-March.

If 1-week visas are issued on arrival, overnight stays in Myawaddy will almost certainly be permitted starting on day 1 of the opening as there are currently no hotels in Kawkareik and the next nearest location with hotels is Hpa-an, about 145km west of the border. I counted about 3 hotels in Myawaddy when I was last there, but there could be one or two more that I didn't see. Although the hotels available in Mae Sot are invariably better, both in terms of value for money and services offered, for practical reasons many people will probably decide to stay in Myawaddy so the opening up of the road will finally allow this.

As soon as I receive more information (there should eventually also be a newspaper article or something once the opening is made official) I will update this thread. Similarly, once I receive information from my friend in Mae Sot confirming the opening, I will travel across and update everyone.

[Tomtomtom69]

Oh and one more piece of good news - a new expressway from Myawaddy to Nyi pyi daw is currently under construction. Once complete, it will allow travellers to travel overland from Thailand via Mae Sot to Nyi pyi daw and Mandalay, thus bypassing Yangon. This road should be complete by 2015. I will post a map with the planned route in the next few days.

I'm looking forward to this map, and the planned timing.

Right now, is it still true that a section of the Myawaddy-Yangon route is one-way - one way on odd days, the the other way on even days?

Yes, but only for trucks. For cars, motorcycles and buses, travel is permitted any day of the week. In any case, the one day up, one day back rule seems to apply only between Hpa-an and Myawaddy or between Thamanya and Myawaddy (most likely the latter). Currently a Thai company is building a new road on the bottom of the hill near Kawkareik that bypasses the notoriously narrow hilly section between Thinnannnaung (about 20km west of Myawaddy) and Kawkareik.

[tombkk]

Oh and one more piece of good news - a new expressway from Myawaddy to Nyi pyi daw is currently under construction. Once complete, it will allow travellers to travel overland from Thailand via Mae Sot to Nyi pyi daw and Mandalay, thus bypassing Yangon. This road should be complete by 2015. I will post a map with the planned route in the next few days.

I'm looking forward to this map, and the planned timing.

Right now, is it still true that a section of the Myawaddy-Yangon route is one-way - one way on odd days, the the other way on even days?

Yes, but only for trucks. For cars, motorcycles and buses, travel is permitted any day of the week. In any case, the one day up, one day back rule seems to apply only between Hpa-an and Myawaddy or between Thamanya and Myawaddy (most likely the latter). Currently a Thai company is building a new road on the bottom of the hill near Kawkareik that bypasses the notoriously narrow hilly section between Thinnannnaung (about 20km west of Myawaddy) and Kawkareik.

Thanks for the update, mate.

[Tomtomtom69]

Yes, but only for trucks. For cars, motorcycles and buses, travel is permitted any day of the week. In any case, the one day up, one day back rule seems to apply only between Hpa-an and Myawaddy or between Thamanya and Myawaddy (most likely the latter). Currently a Thai company is building a new road on the bottom of the hill near Kawkareik that bypasses the notoriously narrow hilly section between Thinnannnaung (about 20km west of Myawaddy) and Kawkareik.

Oh and one more piece of good news - a new expressway from Myawaddy to Nyi pyi daw is currently under construction. Once complete, it will allow travellers to travel overland from Thailand via Mae Sot to Nyi pyi daw and Mandalay, thus bypassing Yangon. This road should be complete by 2015. I will post a map with the planned route in the next few days.

I'm looking forward to this map, and the planned timing.

Right now, is it still true that a section of the Myawaddy-Yangon route is one-way - one way on odd days, the the other way on even days?

Thanks for the update, mate.

No worries - by the way, I checked and the proper English spelling of the checkpoint I mentioned is Gyaing. I should be posting a map of the Myawaddy-Naypyidaw expressway in the next 2-3 days.

[Tomtomtom69]

As promised, I have attached a map of the proposed expressway from
Myawaddy to Nay Pyi Daw, which joins up to the existing Yangon-Nay Pyi
Daw-Mandalay expressway. I believe the Myawaddy to Nay Pyi Daw
expressway may already be under construction. The roads with lines
through them indicate new or upgraded highways. I apologize that this
map only contains a couple of place names in English, but anyway you get
the picture.

[ARGUSEYE]

Good news, thanks for the info!

Finally something SUBSTANTIAL (If this materialises) regarding the "opening up" of Burma. Until now it seemingly was a lot of hot air, nothing else.

[Archie Pelago]

Good news, thanks for the info!

Finally something SUBSTANTIAL (If this materialises) regarding the "opening up" of Burma. Until now it seemingly was a lot of hot air, nothing else.

Hot air, really? The country has been more or less closed off for the better part of 50 years - how fast do you expect this to happen?

[tombkk]

I agree that "hot air" is a questionable judgement, I have seen changes faster than in any other country.

[tombkk]

As promised, I have attached a map of the proposed expressway from

Myawaddy to Nay Pyi Daw, which joins up to the existing Yangon-Nay Pyi

Daw-Mandalay expressway. I believe the Myawaddy to Nay Pyi Daw

expressway may already be under construction. The roads with lines

through them indicate new or upgraded highways. I apologize that this

map only contains a couple of place names in English, but anyway you get

the picture.P1050377.JPG

Wow, thanks a lot for this information! Where did you get it from?

Have you offered it to the CIA yet? - No, just kidding. I just wasn't aware that planning details are available.

[Tomtomtom69]

I actually got it from a guesthouse in the area. Not sure where they got the map from, but these days such information is no longer sensitive, in fact it's very much something the government wants to promote so I'm not surprised they were able to obtain this map.

Anyway, I have more news about the planned opening of the overland route: Apparently there will be 3, 7 and 14 day visas-on-arrival available as soon as the road opens. The 3 day visas will presumably be used by border runners that like now are either only crossing for the day to renew or activate a new or existing Thai visa and/or unlike now will also be given the option to stay overnight in Myawaddy or head over to Hpa-an or Mawlamyaing and back. The 7 day and 14 day visas will allow more significant travel to other parts of the country. I have tried to find out if 28 day visas obtained in advance will be accepted there - more info on this hopefully by Wednesday. I also presume that the prices for these different length of stay visas will be different, as SVB has pointed out at Kawthoung, where 28 day visas can be purchased there for $30.

Right now the Thais are ready and eager to see Mae Sot open as a gateway to the Andaman, the Myanmar side is just about ready but apparently wants a couple of more weeks to finish patching up a section of road before opening it up. As strange as an excuse as this is, this is what I was told - apparently 2-3 weeks more before we can finally expect the opening of this road.

[Tomtomtom69]

Update 3:

Asking the same guy again he now says that the Burmese side opening for overland travel is not dependent on the condition of the road (which will take up to 2 years to finish in time for AEC 2015, but rather on getting the documents signed and acknowledged by Yangon. Apparently the road should have already opened as of the beginning of this month, but being Myanmar delays are to be expected, which is why we're still waiting. Having said that, Thai immigration assured me that the road WILL open soon, pending the Myanmar side getting their act together quickly - a process which could happen as early as about 1-2 weeks from now or as long as 2-3 months, exactly as I first heard from the guesthouse owner in Hpa-an. As I am keen to try this route as soon as it opens for my business which requires importing goods from this region of Myanmar, I will continue to update this thread as new information comes along. I will check again around mid-month and if there is anything new then, I will update everyone.

[ARGUSEYE]

Good news, thanks for the info!

Finally something SUBSTANTIAL (If this materialises) regarding the "opening up" of Burma. Until now it seemingly was a lot of hot air, nothing else.

Hot air, really? The country has been more or less closed off for the better part of 50 years - how fast do you expect this to happen?

So, tell me what has actually changed for the visitor since the "Opening Of Burma"!!

Can I go anywhere where I was not allowd before?? NO!

Are more hotels open for forieigners than before?? NO! (Please tell me if I'm wrong, I'd LOVE to hear it!)

A few years back I was allowed to cycle from Mong Lar to Geng Tung and Tachi Lek in eastern Shan State. That would land me in jail today.

Archie... Have you BEEN in Burma the last 50 Years???

[Archie Pelago]

Actually there have been quite a number of new hotels opening up for foreigners in the past 12-18 months, in various parts of the country.

And I've spent most of the past decade and a half living and working in the country.

As for your bike trip locations - I haven't been to that part of the country in particular, and I can't offer an explanation for why you would be locked up.

I see a lot of improvements in the country in the past few years, and a lot of positive progress. Certainly there is a long way to go - but anyone on the ground there will tell you that there are changes, and many are for the better.

When I first arrived in the country in the late 90's - I was living in a very restricted part of the country, and was not allowed out to work without an armed escort. I can tell you that this is not the case now in that part of the country.

Why not try and add something positive to these discussions? I for one can see a lot of positive steps in a relatively short time. Perhaps other posters have too.

[Tomtomtom69]

That part of Myanmar is opening up fast too - I doubt there would be any restrictions for cycling there. Locked up for cycling anywhere in Myanmar? Sounds like a bit of scaremongering to me. At most, you'd be turned back if you headed into a restricted area but as it turns out Tachileik to Kengtung and generally onto Mong Lar has been OK for years. There was a guide requirement for a while, but my understanding is that this has been dropped.

[ARGUSEYE]

I've actually not been back to Burma since early last year, when I had to pay 20 $ for a backpacker - sweatbox room in Rangoon and even was kicked out of there after one night because "we have bookings, sir!"

Jesus, bookings for a window-less box type room with plywood walls??

I would looove to know which hotels have been newly opened to foreigners.... If the situation normalizes I'd be the first one back! However, I could not find any evidence yet of that happening. A look to the "Thorntree" forum confirms that.

The Tachileik - Mong Lar corridor is open again without guide??? That's also new to me, where can I get that confirmed? At least until a few weeks ago this was NOT the case.

[SeaVisionBurma]

I've actually not been back to Burma since early last year, when I had to pay 20 $ for a backpacker - sweatbox room in Rangoon and even was kicked out of there after one night because "we have bookings, sir!"

Jesus, bookings for a window-less box type room with plywood walls??

I would looove to know which hotels have been newly opened to foreigners.... If the situation normalizes I'd be the first one back! However, I could not find any evidence yet of that happening. A look to the "Thorntree" forum confirms that.

Not the most positive of posters are you?

Okay - quick lesson in supply vs demand regarding the accommodation market in Myanmar at the moment - particularly in Yangon, where a $20 *ahem* backpacker - sweatbox room is the norm at this time of year.

Myanmar has opened up. A lot. And it has been going at a very rapid rate in the past 12-15 months. The past 3-4 months in particular have been ridiculous in terms of new foreign arrivals.

Why? Changing political climate leading to Myanmar becoming the new darling on the world stage leading to heightened awareness of it as a *new* destination. This caused a rapid increase in foreign arrivals from several key groups"

- tourists (obviously)

- NGO's/Foreign Aid workers/Diplomatic corps/PRESS/etc

- business speculators/interested investors.

This has led to an obvious dire shortage in accommodation at all ends of the market.

This time of year is peak tourist season - as was the period early last year - and this is why you had to pay $20 for your windowless box with plywood walls, and this is why you got kicked out of there because they had 'bookings'. Of course they had bookings. Every piece of short term real estate, from $10 a night dorms, up to $500 a night high end suites - is going to be pretty much fully booked at this time of year.

And if you would 'loooove' to know which new hotels have opened - then do some research, or go and have a look. Sounds like you take Thorn Tree for gospel, while remaining snidely dismissive of any other opinions. (and you do realise Thorn Tree had been closed down, and only just recently re-opened - right?)

In closing - as this thread has gone far enough off topic - try to be more respectful in your posts and attitude towards other members on this forum. If the next post you make is not genuinely polite and respectful, or if it doesn't contribute something useful and factual - then you will very likely be suspended. Consider yourself warned.

Now - back on topic thanks!

[Tomtomtom69]

I have just been told that we should know when the road from the Thai side will be opening on April 1. I hope to share some good news then.

In the meantime, I've also just been told that for travellers that have arrived via Yangon, Mandalay or another legal entry route, that travel from Thamenya to Myawaddy is now possible! However, you are not allowed to exit for Thailand via this route yet, you must backtrack to Yangon, Mandalay etc. In fact, it is apparently possible to stay overnight in Myawaddy, but only if you have arrived via a legal entry point within Myanmar - NOT if you have arrived overland from Thailand, yet...but apparently very very soon arriving from Thailand will also allow overnight stays in Myawaddy. Also, to stay in Myawaddy overnight, you have to sign a form issued by your hotel but I'm sure this process is explained to travellers continuing their journey beyond Hpa-an and Thamenya towards Myawaddy. I'm assuming this has only become possible since this month as last month it still wasn't possible to travel east of Gyaing, near Thamenya except with special MT&T permission.

My source is a Myanmar immigration official at the Myawaddy crossing. If anyone has travelled between Hpa-an and Myawaddy recently, please let us know. I would like information from ordinary travellers not those who have acquired expensive MT&T permits, since currently there are a lot of caravan tours that are using this border crossing but that is not what this thread is about.

[Tomtomtom69]

Latest update: OK so I called up my Myanmar immigration contact in Myawaddy like he told me to today and he told me the following:

Originally the road was supposed to open today (April 1) BUT unsurprisingly the authorities are again not ready (April Fool's maybe?) However, this time he said that as soon as Songkran is finished, the road will be open, this means mid-April, probably the 16th. He also confirmed that normal Myanmar visas will be accepted there and in fact, he recommends getting one before arrival even if visas on arrival will become available then.

A recent news report on Thai TV suggested the 1st of June (or earlier) but now we have mid-April as the likeliest date. Hopefully this date won't change again. More on this in about 2 weeks.

[Tomtomtom69]

Just to confirm my most recent post:

Road will open shortly after the end of Thingyan/Songkran (roughly around a week after it seems, so around the 24th).

Visas should be applied for in advance - the 3, 7 and 14 day visas mentioned earlier won't become available just yet, only visas obtained in advance should thus be used for entry at Myawaddy starting on the 24th. Without a visa in your passport, border runners will continue to be given the day pass option for US$10 or 500 Baht (must return before the bridge closes on the same day you entered, no overnight stays).

As mentioned earlier, currently (since early March) it is already possible to travel from Hpa-an to Myawaddy and back, staying in Myawaddy overnight if you like but only with a visa in your passport having entered via Yangon, Mandalay etc. and backtracking the way you came. After the 24th, exit to Thailand across the bridge will be possible.

Cars: As now, only Thai cars will be allowed across and only up to the trade zone. Most likely Thai cars won't be allowed to stay overnight even if the passenger has a visa and is allowed to stay overnight. Other foreign registered cars: not allowed yet even for short day trips to Myawaddy. Exception: As is the case currently, with advance government permission (usually via MT&T) cars and motorcycles registered in Thailand and other countries can enter and proceed to Hpa-an and beyond - however this option may require a guide to accompany you. Sometime starting no later than 1 Jan 2015, cars registered in ASEAN countries will be free to roam Myanmar and all other ASEAN countries after entering at legal checkpoints including Myawaddy.

[zeyar]

Hi This is really a great information, thanks for the detailed write up. I am (have been in the past few years) planning to have a driving trip into Myanmar. Many immigration related information you have here, I have no place to find information on the road conditions. I am no cross-roader nor daredevil, but just an ordinary folk, but i do drive around singapore, malaysia and thailand with my small little car, and it is my most desired trip be able to drive into Myanmar. I would like to know if the road is good for small cars to travel from Myawaddy to Pha-an, and how good the road is? I am migrated to singapore from myanmar 15yrs ago, and been to Pha-an few times from inner side. But no idea how bad the roads beyond Pha-an. Years ago in 90's, i have traveled to China border and also heard the thai border roads, they are truly an off-road conditions. On Muse road my car shock absorber busted like a firecracker, that's how bad it was. But i know the roads are improving and would really like to know the Myawaddy road conditions. Other immigration rules, temp vehicle import rules, i would really look forward to read more.

[Tomtomtom69]

I just travelled to Mu-se from Mandalay - the road is a real shocker, lots of twists and turns, many switchbacks and accidents along the way (watch out for trucks taking corners and otherwise occasionally passing on the left). The road condition overall is actually fairly reasonable considering we're talking about one of the world's poorest countries [Myanmar] here, but this is probably due to it's importance as the main road for trade between Myanmar and China. There are few alternative roads to China compared to this one and the other ones pass through dangerous territory and are probably in horrible condition - essentially the only road to the China border is the Mandalay to Mu-se road; which is the only one to travel on if you can cross overland between Myanmar and China.

Where is your car registered? Singapore? In fact, even if it were Thai registered, forget about driving it more than 12km inside Myanmar if coming from Mae Sot without special permission from MTT (for now). The road beyond the Myawaddy trade zone is being upgraded by a Thai company, but soon afterwards deteriorates into a sandy, one day up, one day down mess. Essentially we're talking only about 30km or so of road between Kawkareik and half way to Myawaddy to which this applies. Coming from Hpa-an to Kawkareik, the road is a bit narrow but decent enough to pass on and besides, the lack of vehicular traffic means that driving along this road is fairly straight forward.

For this reason I presume, the Myanmar authorities are probably still a bit reluctant to allow cars registered in other countries (even Thailand) to pass through this road to Hpa-an etc. until the alternative road is finished, which is likely to be the case around late 2014 at this stage. If you are keen on travelling this road with your own vehicle before then, it's easier to come with a motorcycle. Many motorcycle tours, including quite a few from Singapore and Malaysia, have recently (this year) passed through this road with MTT permission. Apparently such a tour costs around US$1200 for around 10 days, all inclusive, which is not bad value considering. I am not sure how long it takes to get permission, but done through a reliable travel agency perhaps only a month or two?

In terms of crossing the border and travelling with a local Myanmar vehicle, I don't have the latest news yet because my most recent project in that area has now finished. This means I no longer need to travel to Myanmar for the time being - hence while I am interested in knowing if or when the crossing has finally opened to foreigners holding Myanmar visas coming from Mae Sot - I'll provide anyone who is intending on travelling across this border coming from either direction the contact details of a Myanmar immigration contact at Myawaddy and if it's difficult to get through to him, Tak immigration's contact details, who can provide you with the most up-to-date information. Please PM me for details.